Colombo, Sep 9 (IANS): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Colombo on Wednesday, and both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work together for the welfare and development of both nations.
During the meeting, Singh conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s warm greetings to Dissanayake. They also discussed ways to ensure the safety, security, peace and prosperity of the region. India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha and other officials were present during the meeting.
In a post on X, Singh wrote, “Had a warm and extremely productive meeting with H.E. Mr Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of Sri Lanka in Colombo, today. I conveyed to him greetings on behalf of PM Shri Narendra Modi and extended felicitations on successful completion of two years of his government.”
“We reaffirmed that as civilisational twins, close neighbours and maritime partners India and Sri Lanka, would continue to work together for the development of our countries and welfare of our people as well as work jointly to ensure the safety, security, peace and prosperity of our region,” he added.
On Tuesday, Rajnath Singh interacted with the Indian community in Colombo and hailed their role in strengthening ties between the two nations.
“Delighted to interact with the Indian community in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Indian diaspora plays a crucial role in strengthening friendship between India and Sri Lanka. The Indian community is the ‘Sethu’ between India and Sri Lanka. India will always stand firmly with Sri Lanka whenever the island nation faces a crisis,” Singh wrote on X.
Singh arrived in Colombo on Tuesday for a three-day official visit to Sri Lanka, aimed at deepening bilateral defence and maritime cooperation. Prior to emplaning for Colombo, Singh said that he looked forward to productive engagement with Sri Lankan leadership.
Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd.) and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha warmly welcomed Singh at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
According to the Ministry of Defence, Singh’s visit will further strengthen the traditionally strong and friendly bilateral relations in mutually beneficial areas, including a strong maritime and defence partnership.
“India and Sri Lanka share deep civilisational ties and a multifaceted partnership, anchored by regional security, defence, economic and trade cooperation and strong people-to-people ties. The bilateral relationship received further impetus when India assisted Sri Lanka during the economic crisis and provided assistance, as one of the first responders, in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka in 2025,” a statement by the Ministry of Defence said.
“It underscored India’s continued commitment and emphasis on ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions),” it added.
